FARNICLE READY TO TEST HIS RIVALS IN THE J J ATKINS

By Graham Potter | Thursday, June 12, 2025

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable have kept the feature race scoreboard rolling quite nicely during the Queensland Winter Carnival so far … but now they will be looking to up the tempo with an assault on Saturday’s two Group 1 features at Eagle Farm … the Stradbroke Handicap and the J J Atkins.

The Instructor, a last start winner in the Listed Luskinstar at Scone, is the team’s Stradbroke runner, but it could be a horse who finished second last time out who might be best placed to strike Group 1 gold for them on the day.

The impressively bred Farnicle looks to be a horse whose career is moving in the right direction.

A son of Farnan, the 2020 Golden Slipper winner, and out of the broodmare Jennifer Eccles, the 2020 New Zealand Oaks winner, Farnicle’s co-trainers have been very patient with their bay colt.

That patience has already paid dividends to the tune of $223 400 already banked in prize-money in only three starts … and the route Farnicle has followed in the buildup to the J J Atkins should have him right on song on the big day and ready to add to that score.

Farnicle had two barrier trials before kicking off his racing career with a debut back on March 26. That win was enough for the stable to pencil in three targets during the Queensland Winter Carnival with runs designed to bring him on in the immediate approach to his Grand Final … the J J Atkins.

First it was the Group 2 Champagne Classic over 1200m … in which Farnicle finished unplaced, 3.60 lengths behind Cool Archie. The came the step up to 1400m in the Sires Produce in which Farnicle finished second to the flying Cool Archie, this time 2.84 lengths back.

Apart from Cool Archie aspect, the difference in the two performances by Farnicle was quite pronounced.

In the Champagne Classic, Farnicle had to work hard to get across from the number thirteen barrier draw. He duly landed in second place and fought on well for most of the home straight before becoming a touch one-paced over the final 100m. Seven runners ultimately went past him in the home straight. This was on a Heavy 8 surface … (make note) at Doomben.

In the Sires Produce, taking benefit from the run in the Champagne Classic and with a better draw (barrier number 3), Farnicle had little difficulty in claiming and maintaining the early lead. He then went back to close-up second place in the sweep to the home turn before regaining the lead shorty after straightening for the run home.

He then kicked on strongly and held the lead until just inside the final 100m where he was cut down by the flying Cool Archie and had to settle for second spot. This was on a Heavy 10 surface … (make note) at Eagle Farm, where the J J Atkins will be contested.

The notable difference from one run to another with regard to Farnicle is that, in the Champagne Classic, the likes of Gallo Nero, Grafterburners, Beskar, Hi Barbie and United States all went past Farnicle late in the running.
In the Sires Produce, all of those runners finished behind Farnicle, stretched out between 1.80 lengths (Grafterburners) and 9.40 lengths (United States) off the Waterhouse/Bott trained runner.

Whichever way you look at it … the change of track, the change of going from a heavy 8 to a heavy 10 … arguably the overriding point to take away has to be the improved effort of Particle and, if that form-graph keeps going in the direction it appears to be heading, you would expect of bold run from Farnicle once again on Saturday.

A point of interest is that the Saturday's J J Atkins is likely to be run on a track rated as soft.

Of course, even if Farnicle takes the next step, there is still the no small matter of having Cool Archie to contend with.

Cool Archie has won his last four starts including two Group 2 victories and has thrilled the crowd with his ‘turbo boost’ like come from behind pattern of racing.

Those looking for a dent in his makeup might point out that this will be Cool Archie’s fifth run this preparation and perhaps question what those supreme efforts might have taken out of him, but you would have to trust that his co-trainers Chris and Corey Munce are all over that.

It would be a bold move to try and second guess them given they haven’t put a foot wrong yet with Cool Archie.

Rather this particular renewed rivalry between Cool Archie and Farnicle is more likely to come down to just how far Farnicle can forge ahead of Cool Archie by the time the field straightens for home … at what improved level he can kick on from there … and whether Cool Archie can reproduce the stunning acceleration he has shown so consistently recently and once again be good enough to run down the Waterhouse / Bott trained runner.

Cool Archie is currently the favourite at $4.20 in an open betting race. Hidden Achievement and Grafterburners are on the second line of betting at $6 while Farnicle is at the tempting odds of $8.

These four runners are the only runners quoted at prices under $10.

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